#MendMarch Update

 Yesterday, I actually FINISHED a mend.

Not being able to see what I'm sewing puts a spin on "blind hem".

And then took a selfie in it.

And was too lazy to post it to Instagram (for various technical reasons).

Did you notice my NEW SHOES?!!!!!

Fluevog Iggy

OMG! They are so beautiful!
I tried them on for sizing at Fluevog Venice, and I'm glad I did.

I needed 8s, which they didn't have in stock.

They took 10 days to arrive from Denver.
Oh, the anticipation!

(This quickly "pivoted" into a post about Fluevogs, didn't it? Haha)

Linking up with
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness

#SecondHandSeptember £10/ $10 Charity Shop Challenge

Ah, here we go again. $10 not spent thrift shopping.

In fact, I FOUND $10 while cleaning up the living room to make room for the flat files.
$10 from my sister! Thanks, Laura!

And, when you think about it, money is usually second hand. I mean the physical bills and coins. How rare to get a crisp, clean paper bill from the bank. (Who still goes to the bank these days?)

That's my $10 tangent for today.
Enjoy the weekend!

#SecondHandSeptember Charity Shop of the Week

Calling all treasure seekers!

One more visit to a shop of second hand wonders!
Again, it's in Providence:
Nostalgia, at 236 Wickenden St.

In 2016, I shopped with my camera:

Which items did I buy?

#SecondHandSeptember Charity Shop of the Week

I'm returning to Providence again this week (it's a town where I allow myself to shop), to feature Foreign Affair Warehouse.

Brook Street location in 2014. Since closed.

Yelp says "CLOSED". Google says "Thayer Street". Must investigate further.
Very much closed. Sigh.

In April 2014, I was lured by the orange and purple stripes on the outside sale rack:

The stripe dress was too small, but I found some other treasures.

This corduroy jacket, lined with quilted nylon, quickly became an indispensable part of my outerwear:

Wearing it in Providence.

It's the perfect weight for what passes for winter in SoCal.

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A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Feb 6, 2019 at 1:11pm PST

Wearing it last February

#SecondHandSeptember $10 Charity Shop Challenge, or not.

Ha. I'd say the challenge is restricting my shopping to $10.
In addition, it's Sunday and are any shops open?

I think I'll take my $10 and go get veggies at the Farmer's Market instead.

Dill, Basil, Garlic, Italian Parsley, Cilantro, 5 Jujubes all for $9.

Did I buy some of these beauties?

No! I've got a cherry tomato situation at home!

Second hand tomato plants in fact, volunteer plants from M's garden!
They are draped over a second hand disassembled dog crate left behind by Karen.
The wimpy tomato cages couldn't support them.

I pick a few every morning, enough for my daily work-week sandwich.

Also gracing my sandwiches is this volunteer arugula in another area of the back yard.

It popped up in the aftermath of moving some trees. Not planted!
Note the new crop of seedlings in the foreground. Not planted!

This cilantro I DID plant, from volunteer cilantro that bolted and went to seed earlier in the summer.

Yum.

Do you have second hand items (volunteers, cuttings or seeds from friends, etc) in your garden?

#SecondHandSeptember Charity Shopping Like a Pro

Let's refer to the notes I took back in 2012 at the TxSC (Texas Style Council) Conference during a Thrifting 101 Field Trip to Savers:

Link to photos from the shopping trip

Can you read my scribbles? The most important notes:

Shopping tips:
Pay attention to fave areas, start there
Keep running shopping list
[Quality garments have] inside as good as outside
[To determine] when a piece made:
Zipper metal - pre 70's
ILGWU Union label will date [helpful link]

Things to bring:
Measuring tape
Hand sanitizer
Flashlight to see holes

Wear:
Tank
Leggings
so can try things on over

Wash everything when you get home
Biz for stains (if no metal on garment)
Dryelle [at home dry cleaning product]
How to remove smells from leather via Suzanne Carillo
More cleaning advice from Suzanne

Best advice of all:
Instead of measuring a garment for fit by holding it up to your waist,
hold it from your navel to the middle of your back!
genius, right?


Have any additional advice? Add in the comments!

#SecondHandSeptember Charity Shop of the Week

The Thrifty Goose in Providence RI is a good place for a treasure hunt. You'll find it in the basement of St. Martin's Church on the east side of town.
They have "special deal" days, with a color coded tag system which amplify one's savings.

On my last visit in June, I snagged a few men's shirts, a sari that I'm slowly transforming into a tunic, and six balls of chenille for a future weaving project.

This project is taking FOREVER.

Here I am (long hair!) with my Providence pals Vicky and Patucci in 2009 in front of the $1 Last Chance rack.

The Thrifty Goose

St. Martin’s Church (lower level)
50 Orchard Avenue
Providence, RI 02906

Shine and Sparkle at the Santa Monica Flea

The Santa Monica Airport Antique & Collectible Market is a feast for the eyes (and a drain on the wallet). It's within walking distance of my abode, which is DANGEROUS.

I already posted these photos on IG, but not all of you go there.
Enjoy!

First the shiny stuff:

This and the next are rugs. Um, yeah.

How would one clean this?

Another rug, more practical

Other cool things

The perfect umbrellas for the Year of the Dog

HULA PIE!!!!!!

Oh Ken with your laser eyes and man bag.

Red, white, and blue

Rim reflections and red Danskos

I bought two items, I'll show you the Ajrakh textile from Gujarat (Vix has been there!)
Here I am wrapped in it on my way home:

click image to embiggen, I didn't reduce this photo

It smells just like the Indian textiles of my youth!

Linking up with Patti's Visible Monday.

Austin Advent -- Uncommon Objects

Uncommon Objects:
1512 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704 [they had to move!]
1602 Fortview Rd, Austin, Texas 78704Resistance is futile... you WILL find something that you MUST buy!

Here are some of the uncommon objects that have gone home with me:

moderne lamp

beautiful japanese kimono yardage
that I made into a tunic

funky glasses

letterpress fez stamp

If you are into Shriner gear, there are some vendors that specialize in it there.